Make Your Mark

Bringing improv to WBN

In his leader series address, comedy veteran Brandon Gibson, shared how a childhood fascination with the pirates at Disney World inspired his dream of becoming a comedian, later shaped by Robin Williams, whom he would eventually work with.

His talk focused on how improvisation techniques can help people navigate uncertainty, pressure, and change more effectively.

The Pivot Principle

At the center of the session was a simple idea: when life throws curveballs, don’t freeze. Pivot. Turn pressure into possibility and obstacles into opportunity.

Through a series of improv exercises, Brandon invited brave members of the audience onto the stage to demonstrate the importance of listening, supporting others, and building on what’s in front of you rather than trying to control every outcome. 

He encouraged everyone to reframe mistakes as “missteps” – attempts that simply didn’t hit the mark. Rather than fearing taking a risk, he argued that freedom, creativity, and growth often sit on the other side of taking them.

Thank you, Brandon, for an engaging and energizing opening session.

Growth and inflation in a tug of war

In this session, Cristian deRitis, Deputy Chief Economist at Moody's Analytics, explored the economic forces reshaping the insurance industry and the risks businesses should be preparing for in the year ahead.

Cristian illustrated how the US economy is being pulled in two directions. On one side, AI investment is driving growth through infrastructure, construction and market confidence. On the other, deglobalization, tariffs, oil prices and immigration restrictions are creating inflationary pressure and economic uncertainty.

For businesses, the impact is already being felt through rising repair and replacement costs, supply chain disruption, healthcare inflation, and growing underinsurance exposure.

Labor pressures and future risks

Also highlighted was the implications of a weakening labor market, with slower wage growth set against the inflationary factors affecting consumer confidence and spending patterns.

The session concluded with a look at the macro risks on the horizon, including AI market volatility, cyber exposure and geopolitical instability, alongside practical guidance on how insurance professionals can help clients prepare for a more uncertain environment.

Thank you, Cristian, for a timely, insightful and actionable session.

Expanding the leadership toolbox

In her session, Alexandra Phillips of Copper Owl Group, explored how leaders can build their business by using more than one form of intelligence.

At the center of her ORBIT methodology (Observe, Reveal, Build, Integrate, Transform) is an insight that transformation initiatives fail because organizations rely too heavily on a single tool, framework, or way of thinking.

The session emphasized the importance of first observing the system before rushing into implementation.

Using the right intelligence at the right moment

Alexandra described leadership as the ability to recognize patterns, relationships, energy and behaviors across people and organizations.

Drawing on a mix of organizational theory, intuition and ancient practices, she encouraged the audience to expand how they interpret information – moving from data, to relationships, to internal knowing.

The central message was not to replace traditional business tools, but to widen the toolkit to reach your vision.

Thank you, Alexandra, for a fascinating perspective on leadership and change.

Wellbeing as a business priority

In this client panel session, Natalie Prudente, of Merz Aesthetics, shared how employee wellbeing is being embedded into wider business strategy across a global workforce spanning 60 countries.

Drawing on her background in HR and global benefits, Natalie explained how wellbeing has evolved into a core priority linked to productivity, engagement and sustainability.

Listening to employees at scale

A central theme of the session was the importance of making employee feedback simple and actionable. Natalie shared how 5 question surveys help identify unmet needs, spot emerging trends and ensure employees feel heard.

Insights gathered through this approach have helped shape support programs across physical, mental and financial wellbeing, while maintaining strong engagement levels.

Using technology to improve access and insight

Natalie highlighted how technology like AI chat and self-service tools not only supports employees globally but helps the business better understand the needs and trends shaping their workforce.

Alongside this, she emphasized the importance of culture, shared values and collaboration in navigating global workforce challenges.

Thank you, Natalie, for sharing valuable and practical insights from a client perspective.

The changing liability landscape

In this panel session, Michael Scodro of Mayer Brown, Christopher Celentano of Sompo, and Warren Downey of Specialist Risk Group explored the growing impact of nuclear verdicts on the insurance industry.

While the number of cases remains relatively small, the ripple effects are significant. Liability costs have increased sharply over the past decade, with large jury awards creating upward pressure on settlements and coverage requirements.

The rise of social inflation

A major theme was social inflation, with panelists pointing to litigation funding, anti-corporate sentiment and social media as key drivers behind rising awards.

Plaintiff lawyers have become increasingly sophisticated in shaping narratives for juries, often positioning cases as wider social issues rather than disputes involving a single claimant or company.

Rethinking limits and program structures

Rather than focusing solely on price, brokers are spending more time helping clients understand the importance of adequate limits and program design.

Panelists advised on ensuring separate risk towers, multiple insurers and having visibility of how the risks are reinsured to be more resilient in an unpredictable liability environment.

Thank you to the panel for a sharp and highly relevant discussion.

Social media, risk management, and wellbeing

Tracie Marcus, of ComPsych, talked to the growing impact of misinformation and disinformation on employee wellbeing, organizational trust, and risk management.

A key distinction throughout the discussion was between misinformation, false information shared unintentionally, and disinformation, where the intent is deliberately malicious. Tracie explained how social platforms have evolved into highly sophisticated engagement ecosystems, designed to keep people consuming information regardless of its accuracy.

The human impact of digital overload

The session explored how constant exposure to conflicting narratives is contributing to anxiety, mistrust, burnout and analysis paralysis among employees.

By the time organizations respond to false or misleading information, employees may already have formed opinions and lost trust in official messaging.

Preparing before the crisis hits

AI is accelerating these risks, and there was a clear warning that regulation is unlikely to keep pace with the speed of technological change.

That’s why Tracie emphasized the importance of creating psychological safety so employees feel comfortable raising concerns, alongside training in digital and emotional literacy to help people process information more effectively.

Thank you, Tracie, for a timely and highly relatable session.

Rethinking protection in a volatile world

This session explored how geopolitical instability, regulatory fragmentation and global uncertainty are reshaping the insurance landscape and challenging traditional multinational risk models.

On the panel were Meghan Callaghan from HUB International, Alejandro Herrera from Mx Risk, Daniel Madsen from FMG, and Gautam Mahey from Pacific Prime.

Agility as a competitive advantage

Operating globally has become increasingly complex with a combination of rising geopolitical tensions, tariffs, supply chain risk and ever changing regulations.

Rather than relying on static plans, organizations are being forced to adapt continuously as economic, political and operational conditions shift around them.

Clients increasingly expect proactive partners who can tailor solutions, anticipate change, and embed resilience into day-to-day operations.

Staying calm in the storm

A clear message was the need to build teams capable of operating calmly under pressure while constantly scanning the environment for emerging risks.

The session also explored how AI is helping organizations respond faster and stay more present for clients in increasingly volatile conditions.

Thank you to the panel for such a globally relevant discussion.

Attracting the next generation

In this session, Spring Uphoff Neely of Zurich Insurance Group joined Lorraine Jeckells, CEO of FREE, for a discussion on the future of talent in insurance. The conversation drew on multiple industry reports published by FREE exploring the growing insurance talent crisis and how Zurich is approaching it.

The discussion focused on the importance of creating clearer career pathways, stronger networks and more visible development opportunities for early-career professionals entering the industry.

Building pathways into insurance

Spring highlighted programs designed to bridge the gap between education and long-term careers in insurance, including apprenticeship programs, multinational accelerator programs and Zurich’s New Producer School.

The session highlighted the importance of helping people understand not just how to enter the industry, but how to grow within it.

Creating purpose, growth and connection

The discussion also explored the challenge of competing for talent against sectors such as technology and finance. Spring emphasized the importance of development, mentorship and purpose in helping younger professionals see the long-term opportunities the industry offers.

Thank you, Spring and Lorraine, for an insightful discussion on the future of talent in insurance.